Billy Elliot And The Handmaids Tale
Introduction:
Adversity has been defined as “a difficult or unpleasant situation”. Whether this is a benefit or hindrance to the development of character and identity has been the subject of considerable debate by scholars and academics alike. This presentation will draw on the common human experience of adversity evident within Stephen Daldry’s film “Billy Elliot” and Margaret Atwood’s “A Handmaids Tale” to argue that hardship reveals character and ultimately leaves the individual with a stronger sense of identity. Whilst strong individuals share common innate traits, like courage, and perseverance they also need learnable skills such as conflict resolution and mental toughness that are only acquired after a struggle with adversity. Both protagonists are presented with the necessary situations of heightened adversity to develop these traits.
Thesis:
The British writer C.S Lewis once wrote “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
Explanation:
This quote illustrates the popular notion that individuals are often compelled to overcome adversity in order to experience growth. Stephen Daldry’s “Billy Elliot” accurately depicts this. Billy the main protagonist, grows up in a male dominated society that is entrenched by stereotypes of typical male behaviour. He is constantly reminded of gender roles, societal expectations and poverty that characterised the financially stricken and economically weakened era of the 1980’s.
Evidence #1:
Billy’s father, Jacky facilitates gender stereotypes and continues to breed the same toxic masculinity that has spanned generations as he pushes his son into the masculine sport of boxing. Billy’s boxing gloves provide insight into how this culture has stood the test of time when Billy says “they’re my dads these.” The use of an eye level shot provides an emotionally neutral scene. Jacky’s attitude to the potential loss of the gloves leaves no doubt as to the importance of the traditions that they symbolise, “you had better take better care of them.” The stern and serious nature of this dialogue is coupled with a medium shot that effectively shows Jacky’s face and emotions. This passing down of the boxing gloves shows just how engrained the traditions of men are in this community.
Evidence #2:
Another recurring theme is the behavioural expectation and promotion of fighting. The miners’ strike and consequential violence is an important contextual feature and an extension of the behaviour that is promoted by this society. As the local Easington boys come of age they are encouraged to partake in violent sports. A long shot of Billy procrastinating, hesitant to go inside the boxing hall demonstrates his reluctance to resort to using force. This is followed by a mid-shot showing his facial expression of complete bluntness and apathy further cementing his distaste for violence.
This scene is juxtaposed when Billy enters the dance studio, a close up shot of Billy’s face, with an uplifting use of lighting captures his passion and his secret longing to express himself. Unable to bring himself to fight Billy is floored by his opponent leaving Jacky and George frustrated at his inability to conform. George expresses his disappointment “you’re a disgrace to them gloves, your father, and the traditions of this boxing hall” which further exemplifies the standards set by the community. As a consequence of Billy’s choice to dance, Jacky shows his discontent when he yells: “Boys do boxing, football, wrestling, not bloody ballet” the use of profanities mirror, and highlight societal attitude toward those who challenge the gender based stereotypes of their time. Billy ignores the stigma surrounding male dancing and replaces his gloves with ballet shoes.
Thesis:
When confronted with great adversity, it is those who are the strongest mentally that persevere and survive the difficult times. However even the strongest willed individuals can still have their self, and world perceptions altered.
Explanation:
This concept indicates that it is not physical strength that allows an individual to overcome adversity but rather mental toughness and fortitude which allows them to stay true to themselves. In Margaret Atwood’s, “The Handmaids Tale” Offred, the main protagonist is able to stay true to herself when faced with extreme adversity thanks to her resilient nature and adaptability, however subconsciously due to the adversity she has faced her perceptions of the world and herself have evolved.
Evidence #1:
Similar to Billy, Offred finds herself living in a totalitarian theocracy in which gender stereotypes have been established. Women are constantly degraded and treated poorly to the point they are no longer individuals but rather tools with a specific function. As the novel progresses the governing body becomes aware of the dangers of losing the handmaids to suicide. The concern shown is not because of the unnecessary loss of life but rather the risk of losing an investment. This is represented in the quote “It isn’t running away they’re afraid of. We wouldn’t get far. It’s those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge.” Not only is this foreshadowing self-harm and suicide it also reinforces that a woman is only valuable for her uterus. This is further solidified when the author utilises metaphors to compare woman to containers in the quote “We are containers, it’s only the inside of our bodies that are important.” In this society men are viewed as elite thus creating a motif of contrasting gender roles.
Evidence #2:
Throughout the novel, Offred displays her strength of character as she is able to adapt to and overcome every obstacle placed in her path. Her ability to adapt and maintain sanity lies in part in her ability to ignore basic human emotions. This ability to ‘zone out’ is illustrated in Chapter 6, when Offred and Ofglen are observing the bodies of people who have been hung by the sons of jacob. The sight horrifies Offred, but she strains to push aside her repugnance. As she supresses her disgust she remembers Aunt Lydias words “This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary.” Attwood utilises dialogue and short sentence structure to emphasise and reflect how adversity forces an individual to transform horror into normality. By accepting the world, she lives in and forgetting what a different world could look like Offred has allowed herself to move on from potentially scarring experiences trauma free. This is further reiterated in the line “we have learned to see the world in gasps.” The terms “learned” and “world” imply that this persecution was not always known to the Handmaids and rather consequences have made them unable to fathom a world outside of Gilead. The collective pronoun “we” reinforces that this experience is universal to the Handmaids and shows how adversity has the ability to empower and unite social groups. This emotional blankness helped Offred overcome adversity, maintain her humanity, innocence and sanity.
Thesis:
A struggle with adversity provides the platform for self-discovery and has the potential to change the individual’s perceptions of the world around them.
Explanation:
Despite the struggles we go through in the face of adversity, it is clear that such adversity is required for self-discovery. Adversity strengthens personal values whilst shaping our perceptions of the world.
Evidence #1:
In “Billy Elliot” Daldry provides the audience with insight into Billy’s family through the use of panning shots and symbolism of the piano. The piano serves as a reflection of Billy’s connection to his deceased mother, highlighting the impact of her premature loss of life. At the beginning of the film, Billy’s piano playing is out of tune and somewhat annoying which is reflective of Billy’s dysfunctional family and his inability to express himself. However, as the film progresses, his musical abilities improve, mirroring his transformation as a dancer and societies gradual acceptance of his newly formed identity as a ballet dancer, evident through his family. The audience can deduce that Billy’s passion for the arts and dancing stems from his connection to his late mother, the strength of this connection allows him to overcome his struggle with adversity.
Evidence #2:
Billy’s evolvement as a dancer is evident through the juxtaposition between his pirouette at the beginning and end of the film. The close-up shots of Billy’s feet symbolise Billy’s journey from isolation to acceptance. Daldry’ also utilises intertextual links to Swan Lake. The intertextuality is used to parallel the storyline and provide an artistic benchmark that ultimately motivates Billy to move beyond the context and contingency in which he lives and do what he is passionate about. Not unlike the prince, Billy is being besieged by forces that seek to force him down a predetermined path, rather than follow his passion. Both the prince and Billy act in defiance of this obligation and follow their heart. It can be deduced that Billy lies in the symbol of the swan and its transformation into a human being is representative of Billy's feeling when he is dancing, it is also infurred Just as the swan will die if it is not rescued by the prince, Billy's soul will perish if dance is not a part of his life.
Conclusion:
The relationship between the common human experience of adversity and character development is complex. “Billy Elliot” and “The Handmaids Tale” demonstrate this relationship and provide insight into how adversity can hinder and facilitate the growth of an individual. Billy faced pressure to conform to gender roles, societal expectations and toxic masculinity that characterised the mid 1980’s but overcomes his struggle with adversity to forge a life in the gender stereotyped world of ballet. Although different in nature Offred successfully overcomes her struggle with adversity and ultimately salvages a life with intimacy, happiness and purpose despite being deprived of basic human rights. These 2 texts prove that although adversity places a heavy strain on the individual, it is clearly a fundamental obstacle that must be overcome in order to achieve self-discovery.
